Phonograph



y '1 7, 1934.. L. c STO'WELL 1,966,654

PHONOGRAPH Filed June 4, 1927 NEUTRAL DICTATING REFROINGING INVENTOR. 3 LED G. OWELL RNEY Patented July 17, 1934 I ,PHONQGRAPH g I Leon 0. Stowell, Rutherford, N. J., assignor to Dictaphone Corporation, Bridgeport, Conn, a

corpcration of New York Application'June 4, 1927, Serial No 23 Claims. .(01. 274-17 This invention relates to phonographs, and moreparticu-larly to dictation machines. 1

In dictation machines, particularly the type used to record the dictators dictation, there is 5: provided a control by the operation of which the machine may be conditioned for either recording or reproducing or to be neutral, and this control may lie-manually shifted at the will of the operator so that he can listen back to matter already dictated to verify or correct the same. The recording mechanism is rendered inoperative when the control device is in neutralor reproducing position, and hence should the operator inadvertently dictate to the machine while the control device is in neutral or reproducing, position, no useful record will hemade.

When the operator discovers. that the machine is'not conditioned for dictation shortly after he has started -to dictate, the mistake is easily rem edied, but it is extremely embarrassing and annoying to find, after one hasdictated for a long time, that thematter so dictated has'notbeen recorded,'for, as ,is well known, after a matter has once been dictated or spoken, it is seldom that 'a person can again repeat the thoughts with the same force and style.

The present invention, in order to obviate this, has provided means'for preventing the normal or usual operation of'the machinewhile the con- This, the present invention accomplishes by preventing the operation of the-usual start-and-stop mechanism, which is preferably remote from the machine, when the machine is in neutral or re-' producing position soithat the operator'cannot then operatethe start-and-stop m'echanismand hence is immediately and forcefully apprised of the fact that the machine is not set in condition for recording. p

Considered in another light, thepresent invention accomplishes the result 'above referred to by making it necessary for the'dictator to' operate a secondary control on the machine proper for stopping and starting the machine when reproducing, or when the machineis in neutral position and allowing the remote control of the stop-and-start mechanism-only when the machine isin dictating position.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter 'appear.-

' In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one form of the present invention, that at present preferred Figure 1 isa side view partly in sectionof a trol lever is in neutral or reproducing position;

dictation machine, h m th'evpfesent tion as embodied therein.

, Figure 215 a rear elevation of part of a "die-:1 tation machine, portions being broken away and shown in section,

vention.

Figure 3 is a perspective viewjof the means provided by the present invention for: operating to illustrate thepresent ing,

the lock for the manually operablefcontrol device;

As shown in the accompanying drawing, the dictating machine comprises a baSBlO' havingj upper and lower guidesll and 12 upon which a;

sound-box carriage 13 is adapted to slide to and fro on the machine to carrya sound-box Mover the surface of a record 15 'supportedby a mandrel 16 having a shaft 'l'l'rotatably mounted in a hous ing 18 integral with the base 1!). Longitudinal movement of the carriage 13 and its sound-boa 14.0ver the record surface is accomplished by. a

rotating fee :l-screw 19 engaged'with a fee'd jnu t 20 carried by the carriage l3,

The sound-box 14 is mounted for up"-and-down movement, to accommodate records of differentdiameters or to follow irregularities of the reelord-surface, on trunnions 21 carried by a support; 22, which in turn is mounted on a rod 23pm otally' mounted in a tubidarslidefz disposedwithin a holder secured to the carriage 13 by screws 26. The slide 24 .is longitudi 'ial'lymov ablein the support 25Qso as jto bring the record ing stylus27orv the reproducing stylus 28into position to engage the record 15,,or to cause both styli to be raised from the record when the ound: box 14 is in an intermediate position where itis supported by a cam surface 2'9'engagling a stud 30 carried by the support 25," Thus, itjwill be seen, that when the, sound-box slide 2; is'moved longitudinally in the support 25, either the recording stylus 27, reproducing stylus 28 or neither stylus is in engagement with the record-surface, depending upon the position of the slide 24 inthe support '25. 7 For the purpose of moving the 'sound-boxla to cause it to be positioned-for either recording or reproducing or neither recording nor reproducing, the slide 24 is conn'ectedby a link 31' to the lower end of acontrol lever 32 adapted to. bemoved by hand, in the form of the inventionshown', about the axis of the feed -screw'19, This control lever 32 may be shifted from the neutral or inoperative position shown in full lines in Fig, 1 forwardly-to dictating or-operative position or rearwardly to reproducing vor operative position as the operator desires. In the neutral position shown, the feed-nut 20 is made todisenga'ge the feed-screw 19 in any desired manner so that the carriage is free for movement longitudinally of the record 13 to the desired position.

When it is desired to listen back to matter recorded previously on the same record, the control lever is moved from dictating position to the neutral position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, then the carriage is slid back to the desired place, and the control lever is then further moved rearwardly to the reproducing position shown in dotted lines and so designated in Fig. 1. The operator then listens to the matter dictated and before again commencing to dictate, moves the lever forwardly to neutral position, then advances the carriage to the place from which it has been returned, and then further moves the control lever forwardly to dictating position. 1

Sound is collected and transmitted to the sound-box 14 by means of a speaking tube 33 connected with the support 25 for the sound-box slide 24 at one end, and having at its other end a handle 34 provided with a mouthpiece 35, a fragment of which is shown in Fig. 1. In using the machine, the operator grasps the handle 34 and thereby holds the mouthpiece 35 adjacent his lip, so that the sounds which he emits are transmitted by the speaking tube 33 to the sound-box 14, thereby vibrating the diaphragm carrying the styli 2'7 and 28, and recording upon the record blank 15 when the recording stylus 27 is in engagement with the record. Conversely, when the machine is in reproducing position and the reproducing stylus 28 engages the'record 15, vi-

brations of the diaphragm carrying the styli 27 and 28 produce sound which is transmitted through the speaking tube 33 and emitted from the mouthpiece 35 which the dictator then holds at his ear.

In order to control the stopping and starting of the dictation machine, so that during pauses in dictation the machine will not operate and uselessly use up space on the record, a clutch 36 is provided to connect the driving pulley 3'7 with the operating mechanism of the machine including the mandrel shaft 1''! and the feed-screw shaft 19. This clutch comprises a toothed member 38 adapted to be controlled by a grooved collar 39 mounted within the housing 18 and shifted longitudinally of the shaft 17 by a shifting yoke 40 having pins entering the groove 42 of the collar 39. The yoke 40 is pivotally mounted on a stud 41 carried by the housing 18 and is so arranged that when operated it causes the grooved collar 39 to be moved to the left as seen in Fig. 2

to cause the clutch member 33 to engage the teeth 43 on the pulley 37..

In order that the clutch may be operated from the handle 34, the latter is provided with a manually operable button 44 connected to the relatively moving parts 45 and 46 of a Bowden-wire 47 which passes through the speaking tube 33 and from the latter rearwardly and downwardly to a boss 48 on thehousing 18 where the outside member 46 of the Bowden-wire 4'7 is anchored. At this point, the inside member 45 of the Bowdenwire has a plunger 49 slidably moving in the boss 48 and having its front end in engagement with Y a bell-crank 50 pivoted at 51 and having an arm 52 adapted to engage an arm 53 on the clutch shifting yoke 40. Thus, when the finger-piece 44 is pushed inwardly, the inner member 45 is moved relatively to the outer member 46 of the Bowden-wire, and this in turn causes the plunger 49 to rock the bell-crank 50 and thus to rock the clutch shifting yoke 40 which shifts the clutch to cause the mandrel and feed-screw to rotate.

A secondary control for the clutch is also provided, and this is in the form of a manually shiftable lever 54 mounted on the frame 10, comprising a cam 55 engaging an arm 56 on the clutch shifting yoke 40. The machine may, of course, be stopped and started by the operation of the button 44 or the finger-piece 54 as desired by the dictator, but in dictating, the button 44 is almost exclusively used, being more convenient for the dictator. Because of the frequency of pauses in dictation, it is operated intermittently a great number of times during the course of dictation.

The machine and mechanism above described is that now commonly used and forms no part of the invention per se, except as combined with other parts and mechanism provided by the present invention.

In order to accomplish one of the principal objects of this invention, namely that of preventing the operator from using the machine in the accustomed and usual way for dictation purposes while the control lever 32 is in either neutral or reproducing positions, the present invention provides means for locking the stop-and-start control device against operation through the button 44 when the control lever 32 is in either neutral or reproducing positions. This locking of the control device is effected, in the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, by providing a locking lever 57 pivotally mounted on a boss 58 on the housing 18 and passing through a slot 59 in the boss 48 so that its locking end 60 will be in position to be moved into an annular groove 61 in the plunger 49 connected to the inner member 45 of the Bowden-wire 4'7.

Thus, when the locking lever 57 is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, where its looking arm 60 lies in the annular groove 61, the operator will be unable to move the button 44 and thus he will be apprised of the fact that the machine is not in condition to receive his dictation.

The locking lever 5'7 is operated, in the form of the invention shown herein, by means of a cam 62 formed on the side of a disk 63 secured to the guide 11 which forms not only a cover for the feed-screw 19 but also serves to support the carriage 13. Usually, the guide 11 is fixed in the machine against rotating movement, but, according to the present invention, it is rotatably mounted in the standard rising from the base 10 at each side of the machine. It is coupled to the control lever 32 so as to rotate when the control lever is rotated by means of a spline 64 provided on the control lever 32 and entering a longitudinal slot 65 in the guide 11. Hence, when the control lever 32 is rocked, the guide 11 is likewise rocked.

The cam 62 on the disk 63, which is engaged by a cam follower 66 on the locking arm 57, is so arranged that when the control lever is shifted from dictating position toward the neutral or reproducing positions, the locking arm 57 will be rocked counter-clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, so as to bring its locking arm 60 into the annular groove 61 in the Bowden-wire plunger 49, and thus prevent operation of the clutch shifting yoke 40. However, when the control lever 32 is in dictating position, the locking arm 57 is'swung clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 to its unlocking position, shown in dotted lines in that figure, by a spring 67 located between it and the frame of the machine so as to unlock the Bowden-wire for desired operation by the dictator; thefollower 66 riding into a dwell 68in the cam-disk 63.

By locking the operation of thebutton 44' for controlling the stopping and starting of the machine from the handle 34, the dictator is forced to use the secondary stop-and-start lever 54-which is located on the machine proper. When he desires to listen to something'which'has been dictated previously, he shifts the control lever 32 to neutral position, then returns the carriage to the place where the dictation was before record ed, and then shifts the control lever to reproducing position. The carriage thus being positioned for reproducing, the dictator causes the machine to operate by manipulating the secondary control lever 54 which through its cam" 55 operates the arm 56 on the clutch-shifting yoke 40.

After he has listened to the dictation, he releases the secondary control lever 54. He should then shift the control lever 32 to neutral position, then replace the carriage; in the position from which it was moved backwardly,a nd finally he should shift the control lever to dictating position.

Occasionally, as stated above, the dictator, es pecially a novice,commences to dictate While the control lever is in either reproducing position'or neutral position, for he may be engrossed with the matter in reference to which he intendsto dictate. Heretofore, he could have dictated indefinitely without realizing that the subject-matter was not being recorded unless he took'particular pains to look at the machine to see what was occuring. However, according to the present invention, should be leave the control lever in either neutral or reproducing positions and attempt to operate the stop-and-start mechanism bymeans of the button 44, which he cannot do, the'button' being locked, he will be immediately apprised of the fact that the machine is not in condition to receive his dictation. To correct the situation, he simply shifts the control lever 32 to dictating position after making sure that the carriage has been advanced beyond the last dictation. I

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention,'and portions of the improvements may be usedwithout others.

- Having now described the invention, whatlis claimed as new and for which it is desired to obtain Letters-Patent, is

I. In a dictation machine, a manually operable condition controlling device having dictating and non-dictating positions; means manually operated as an incident to dictation; and means for locking the last-named means against operation when said controlling device is in non-dictating position.

2. In a dictation machine, a manually operable lever having dictating and non-dictating posi tions; a button operated as an incident to dictation; and means for preventing the operation of the button when said control lever is in nondictating position.

3. In a dictation machine, a frame; controlling means mounted thereon; other controlling of themachine, and means for locking said last control device when the control device mounted upon the frame is in predetermined condition.

5. In a dictation machine, a frame; a control device mounted on the frame; a control device remote from the frame; means for locking said last control device when the control device on the frame is in predetermined condition; and an auxiliary control mounted on the machine capable of operation to perform the function of the said remote control when the latter device is locked against operating.

'6. In a dictation machine, a frame; a movable record-engaging means having a plurality of stations; control means remote from the frame operated as an incident to dictation; and means for preventing the operation of the remote control means when the record-engaging means is moved to a predetermined station.

"'7. In a dictation machine, a frame; a manually movable record-engaging means having a plurality of stations; a control device remote from the frame comprising a hand-held part supporting manually operable means; and means for preventing the operation of the manually operable means on the'hand-held part when the recordengaging means is manually moved to a predetermined station.

8. In a dictation machine, in combination, a frame, a carriage slidable thereon, a carriage guide, a control device remote from the frame, a lever movable to a position to prevent operation of the remote control device, and means movable with said carriage adapted to coact with means on the carriage guide for moving said lever to said position.

9. In a dictation machinaa frame; a clutch; a control device on the frame and a control device remote from the frame to actuate the clutch, the remote control device comprising a Bowdenwire; "and means for preventing the operation of the 'Bowden-wire, thereby necessitating the use of the control device on the frame.

10." In a dictation machine, a clutch; a yoke to operate the clutch; a Bowden-wire to operate the yoke; means to lock the Bowden-wire; and auxiliary means to operate the yokewhen the Bowden-wire is locked.

11." In a dictation machine in combination, a frame; a-carriage slidably mounted thereon; a sound-box; a rotatablesound-box conditioning means having a plurality of stations; a carriage guide on which said carriage travels; a control device remote from the frame; means interconnecting the carriage guide and sound-box conditioning means for rotating movements; and means operated by the rotating movement of the carriage guide to condition the remote control in a predetermined way when the sound-box conditioning means is in predetermined position.

12. In a dictation machine, a frame; recordengaging means movable to a dictating station and listening station; an auxiliary control device; a control device remote from the frame operated as an incident to dictation; and means for looking the remote control device against operation and enforcing the operation of the auxiliary control device when the record-engaging means is moved to listening station.

13. In a dictation machine, sound-recording and reproducing means shiftable from recording to reproducing position; a sound-receiver, an elongated sound tube connecting said soundreceiver to said sound-recording and reproducing means; and means adjacent said sound-receiver and remote from said sound-recording and reproducing means for indicating to the operator when the sound-recording and reproducing means is in reproducing position.

14. In a dictation machine, sound-recording and reproducing means shiftable from recording to a neutral or a reproducing position; a soundreceiver, a sound tube connecting said soundreceiver to said recording and reproducing means; and means adjacent said sound-receiver and remote from said sound-recording and reproducing means for indicating to the operator that the machine is not in condition for recording when the sound-recording means is in either the neutral position or the reproducing position.

15. The combination in a phonograph of a record mandrel, a recording stylus, a reproducing stylus, a single control means for alternatively shifting either of said styli into record-engaging position or shifting both of said styli out of record-engaging position, driving means for said mandrel, a clutch connecting said driving means and said mandrel, control means for operating said clutch, and means for rendering said control means inefiective to operate said clutch when both styli are out of record-engaging position.

16. A phonographic dictating machine having shift means for alternating the machine from dictating to listening condition and vice versa through an intermediate neutral condition, and control means for starting and stopping the machine operable independently of the said shift means when the machine is in dictating condition, characterized by locking means controlled by the shift means and locking the control means against independent operation when the machine is in neutral condition.

1'7. A phonographic dictating machine having shift means for alternating the machine from dictating to listening condition and vice versa through an intermediate neutral condition, and control means for starting and stopping the machine operable independently of the said shift means when the machine is in dictating condition, characterized by locking means controlled by the shift means and locking the control means against independent operation when the machin is in listening condition.

18. In a phonographic dictating machine, a motor actuated rotary record carrier, starting and stopping means therefor, adjusting means for alternating the machine from dictating to listening condition and vice versa, and locking means for the starting and stopping means controlled by the said adjusting means.

19. A phonographic dictating machine including a movable start and stop member, an oscillatory shift lever for changing the machine from dictating to listening condition and vice versa, and a movable detent operatively engageable with said start and stop member and movable into and out of engagement therewith by the movement of said shift lever. i 0 20. A phonographic dictating machine, including start and stop means and means for adjusting the machine from dictating condition to listening condition and vice versa, and interlocking means between the start and stop means and the adjusting means operable by the adjustment of the machine from dictating to listening condition and vice versa by which the start and stop means is released for freedom of movement when the machine is in dictating condition and is locked against independent movement upon adjustment of the machine away from dictating condition.

21. In a phonographic dictating machine having means for alternating the recording and reproducing condition of the machine, a touch indicator member and means for rendering it alternately responsive and unresponsive to pressure in accordance with the operative condition of the machine.

22. In a phonographic dictating machine having means for alternating the recording and reproducing condition of the machine, touch signal means controlled by the operative adjustment of the machine to recording and reproducing condition transmitting to the operator through a sense of touch an indication of the operative condition of the machine.

23. In a dictating phonograph, a rotary record carrier, a driving clutch therefor, a mechanical manually operated means for actuating the clutch into driving engagement with the carrier and a movable recorder and reproducer carrier characterized by means controlled by the position of the recorder and reproducer carrier for rendering said mechanical, manually operated, clutch actuating means inoperative.

LEON C. STOWELL. 

